Sunday, February 8, 2015

Easily Create an iBook With These 3 Powerful Apps

Digital books are transforming the way students of all ages
learn today.The interactive elements of
digital books enhance the learning experience, making it far more informative
and interesting than before.Many
teachers today are embracing this new media and producing some high quality student-made
eBooks in their classrooms.

One of the most fascinating ways to create an eBook is using
a mobile device, particularly, an iPad.StoryKit,
Book Writer, and Book Creator are 3 apps my students have used to create some
highly interactive, professionally looking eBooks.All three apps are excellent examples of
tools that allow students to unleash their creativity and tell their own
stories.

StoryKit (free)

StoryKit is a user-friendly free app that allows students to
create eBooks with text, pictures, sound recordings, and drawings.The
app allows users to import pictures from the iPad’s Camera Roll, supports multi-language
text, and student made illustrations. Although
it is not as powerful as other eBook creation apps, its lack of complex
features makes it ideal for lower elementary students, or, for teachers and
students who are new to eBook creation.StoryKit’s main advantage is its ability to provide a platform that
gives students a voice and allows them to narrate their own story. The final product can be enjoyed on the iPad,
or it can be shared with others via email.

The interactivity of eBooks created with StoryKit is limited
to the playback of the sound files that can be up to one minute long.Also, the app does not support file exporting
or printing.Nevertheless, StoryKit is a
solid authoring app that allows students to create their own eBooks from
scratch, and share them in ways that protect the user’s privacy.

Users looking for an app with more impressive features can
try Book Writer; an innovative app students and teachers can use to create
eBooks.Much like StoryKit, the app
supports text, audio narration, drawings, and pictures, and utilizes a user-friendly
interface that makes creating an interactive book a breeze.However, Book Writer has some additional
functions to offer.For instance,
students can import video files into their projects, a feature that makes their
eBooks truly exciting.In addition, the
app supports advance sharing options such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and iTunes
integration, and it even allows you to open your final product in iBooks.Furthermore, the app allows students to
customize the text’s size and color, and is enriched with some rare additional
features such as link integration, slideshow mode, and background music.All these qualities guarantee a final product
with a highly professional look and feel.

The free version allows the user to create only one book at
a time.If you are only planning on
using the app once or twice, students can share their eBook with others or open
it in iBooks, and then start a new book within the app that replaces the old
one.However, teachers who plan on using
the app on a regular basis can buy the full version that will allow the entire
class to create multiple eBooks as well as to unlock additional distribution
options.

Book Creator
(free/$4.99)

Book Creator is one of the most intuitive book creation apps
for mobile devices, and it is the only book authoring app that can be used on
more than one platform, namely, iOS and Android.The app is equipped with one of the easiest
and most straightforward interfaces around, and it is one that requires no
learning curve.Book Creator allows
students to import text, hand drawings, illustrations, pictures, sound files,
narration, and video files, making it ideal for advance eBook creation that
utilizes complex techniques such as app smashing, digital storytelling, and
project based learning.Furthermore, students
have the ability to combine multiple eBooks into larger books, export these
books in ePub, PDF or movie format, or print them using the app’s AirPrint
support.

Teachers and students using Book Creator are able to export
their final projects to almost all of the major cloud storage services such as
Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and iCloud.They are also able to send their work directly to iTunes University,
iBooks, and even publish their eBooks on Apple’s iTunes store, so that they can
share their work with anyone who lives in the Apple ecosystem.

Much like Book Writer, before buying the full version, teachers
and students can try the free version of the app, which allows them to create
only one book.The Book Creator Team is
currently working on a plan to integrate additional widgets that will allow for
3-dimensional objects, quizzes, and other features that will improve the user
experience dramatically.

The rise of digital books has transformed the way students
of all levels are interacting with textbooks and other learning materials.Exploring new frontiers has always been a
human innate trait.Naturally, students
are fascinated by eBook creation, and when immersed in this new media, they are
more willing to experiment, take risks, and engage in collaborative content
creation and learning.Digital book
creation provides students with all the tools necessary to help them unleash
their creativity.As such, it redefines
education by helping students engage in new learning behaviors.